The General Election - yes we can!

Check for free on 192.com to see if you're on the edited
Electoral Roll

Not being registered on the electoral roll will cost you your vote. The
Electoral Commission says one in five people in the UK might not be on
the electoral roll,[*] so how can you protect your vote?

Firstly, find out if you are on the edited electoral roll. 192.com is
the only website where you can check if you are, for free. The edited
electoral roll lists 24 million registered voters, so for peace of
mind, go to www.192.com/voter-check
and ensure you can have a say on the big day.

Can't find yourself on the edited electoral roll? Don't panic.
192.com's voting guide tells you how to register on the electoral roll,
how to vote, and what all the fuss is about.

Product director of 192.com, Dominic Blackburn says:"192.com
is the only website where you can check to see if you're on the edited
electoral roll, entirely for free. Our guide will be useful for first
time voters and to people who have moved in the last few years."

A Simple Guide to Voting

The electoral roll is not a sandwich or a Scottish dance. The
electoral roll (or electoral register) is a listing of all those
registered to vote in the UK.

There are two versions of the electoral roll, the edited
version, which omits people who have chosen to opt-out of having their
details used for commercial purposes (available on 192.com) and the
full version, used for elections, by credit agencies, and for fighting
crime.

The deadline to register on the electoral roll is April 20, so
hop to it!

Check you're on the edited electoral roll by searching for
your name and full postcode on 192.com. If we have you listed you'll
get an exact match in our premium results section. This will tell you
if you're listed at the correct address on the edited electoral roll.

If you're not listed on 192.com it either means you've opted
out of the version of the electoral register available to the public,
and therefore you're not listed on our site, or it means you are not
registered at your current address to vote. If you have recently moved
house or changed your name, you will need to re-register to be
eligible to vote, even if you're in the same local authority. Check
with your local Electoral Roll Officer to see if you're registered on
the full electoral register. Their contact details on the About My
Vote website: http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk

If you need to register to vote, you can get full details
including a registration form for most local authorities from the same
website: www.aboutmyvote.co.uk.

A student with a permanent home address and a term-time
address can be lawfully registered at both addresses. If a voter is
registered to vote in two different electoral areas, they are eligible
to vote in local elections for the two different local councils.
However, it is an offence to vote twice in the general election.

You can apply to vote by post or proxy. Postal votes are sent
out approximately one week before polling day. Proxy voters do not
need to live in the area you are registered in, and can apply to vote
by post on your behalf. You will need a separate form for postal
votes, seek advice from your local council as soon as possible.

Know where your nearest polling station is. Once you are
registered, you will be sent a card telling you where it is. Voting
stations are typically located in schools, churches and government
buildings. Look out for signs on the day.

Mark the paper according to instructions. Failure to do so can
invalidate your vote.

Sources

About 192.com

192.com
is the UK's most awarded online directory, helping find people, businesses and places
for millions of users every month. On 192.com, users can search over
700 million records including free directory enquiries, edited
electoral roll information, local business listings, interactive
mapping, aerial photography and property reports.

About the YouGov survey and the Electoral Commission

YouGov surveyed 2,376 adults across Great Britain between 5th and
8th March 2010. The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up
by the UK Parliament. They foster public confidence in the UK's
democratic process. They regulate party and election finance and set
standards for well-run elections.